Vitascope.



140. 673,992. Patented m I901.

"r. ABMAT;

V'I'TASBUPE, I (Applicltion M101). 19, 1896.)

3 Sheets-Shoat I.

(In luau.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS ARMAT, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF- COLUMBIA.

VlTASC O PE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,992, dated May 14, 1901.

Application filed February 19, 1896. Serial No. 579.901. (No model.)

To on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS ARMAT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washothers skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to apparatus for exhibiting pictures, but more particularly to that class of picture-exhibiting apparatus in which the impression is given to the eye of objects in motion.

The primary object of the invention is to provide improved and efficient means whereby a series of photographic or other pictures showing successively the different positions or attitudes assumed bya person or object in motion may be displayed in such manner as to reproduce to the eye the appearance of the moving object through all the phases of such movement with a life-like and unblurred effect.

Another object is to provide means by which a continuous or endless strip or film forming the picture-carrying surface may be operated so as to successively place the objects thereon in position for reproduction without liability to injury from unnecessary strain and wear thereon and without the knocking and jarring of the mechanism which is incident to the means heretofore proposed.

Other objects are to provide means for preventing the film from flexing or puckering at the point of exposure (in order to assure a proper reproduction of the objects thereon) and for intermittently releasing the film, so as to permit it to move a snfficient distance to expose a picture at each successive movement, and also to provide continuously-operated mechanism for moving the film, and means for intermittently moving. it so as to successively place the pictures in the field of illumination for reproduction.

These several objects may be accomplished by the use of the mechanism hereinafter described and Without usinga shutter orequivalent device, such as is'commonly used in apparatuses of a similar character, whereby the light for illuminating the picture to be projected or reproduced is utilized continuously and to the best advantage and the casting of shadows or cloud effects produced by the passage of the shutter across the light is avoided. The invention will first be hereinafter more particularly described and then pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure l is a diagrammatic vi'ew, in side elevation, of one form of picture-exhibitingapparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of a preferred form of mechanism for operating the picture-carrying surface or film, so as to place the objects thereon successively in position for reproduction. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the tension and guiding device for the film. Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional viewtaken on the line IV IV of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the tension and guiding device. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the tension and guiding device looking from the rear, illustrating an adjustable plate which may be employed for enlarging or decreasing the size of the opening therein according to the size of the object to be reproduced. Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the feed-drums, having a pressure and a guiding device for the film while passing around said drum. Fig. 8 is a detail view of a preferred form of device for intermittently operating the film. Figs. 9 and 10 are side elevations of modified forms of mechanism for intermittently operating the film. Fig. 11 is a side view of another form of mechanism for intermittently operating the film,

showing how pressure may be applied toand released therefrom. Fig. 12 is a sectional plan on the line XII XII of Fig. l, illustrating how the banks or series of rollers may be adjusted upon their support; and Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view of a modified form of apparatus in which a continuous instead of an endless strip or film is employed.

In devices or apparatuses such as have heretofore been devised for exhibiting lifeobjects in motion it has been considered most feasible to keep the series of similar pictures (whether on a disk, tape, or other surface) constantly moving at a regulated speed corresponding with the speed at which the piclike pictures or producing the appearance of tures were taken and by means of a shutter or light-obstructing surface to alternately cover and expose the pictures successively in a manner quite similar to the method of exposing the sensitive film or substance in taking the photographs, so as to bring the opening through the shutter centrally over a picture at intervals practically equal to the intervals between exposure in taking the pictures, so that each picture may be seen only when it is in such a position that it will be exactly superposed upon the image not yet (owing to the persistence of vision) faded from'the eye. The openings in such shutters, which are ordinarily in the form of revolving disks having openings near their circumferences, usually cover but a fractional part of the circumference of the disk, so that a view of the picture is afforded through an interval of time much less than the period of in terruption, and as the illuminated pictures and the cloud effect or darkness of interrup-' tion caused by the passage of the shutter across the light are blended or mixed together in the eye of the observer the darkness continnes to impress upon the retina so much longer than the light that the value of the sition of a shutter or opaque substance across its path, so that the impression of the picture on the eye is so much longer and more permanent than the distortion or shadow effect incident to its movement and the interval of change or interruption is so infinitesimal that the image of the picture is readily retained until displacement and substitution takes effect, and owing to the inability of the eye to receive an impression from every phase of motion the interruption or change is wholly imperceptible, and the result is a most vivid appearance of an obje ctin motion, otherwise unchanging, clearly exhibiting all the phases of such motion with life-like efiect.

My invention depends for its successful operation both upon the inability of the eye to receive an impression of movement exceeding a certain rapidity and upon that faculty of the eye which enables it to retain an impression after the source of light has vanished the persistence of visionwhich enables me to change the pictures, one for another, im-

perceptibly. This I accomplish by moving the film or-other picture-carrying surface intermittingly in such manner that the interval of exposure and illumination of the picture shall exceed the interval of time required to effect a change sufficiently to enable the eye to form a perfect impression or image at each exposure and to retain it through the interval of motion or change and until another picture has been superimposed, as it were, upon the one displaced, thus rendering the act or efiect of displacement and substitution of pictures wholly imperceptible and giving the impression to the eye of objects in motion. Various contrivarices and forms of mechanisms may be employed for effecting the intermittent movement, the requirement being that the film or other surface shall be moved quickly between successive pauses far enough to expose the next succeeding picture in the series. In the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1 is shown an illuminator A and a condensinglens B, the latter arranged adjacent to the. illuminator and adapted to concentrate the rays of lightupon a picture located in the focus of an objective lens 0, all of which parts may be .of the usual or of any preferred construction and arranged in any suitable manner. The strip or film D may be composed of any suitable transparent or translucent flexible substance adapted to provide a surface for carrying pictures produced or impressed thereon by photographic or other means, the several pictures in the series representing successively different positions of a moving object, so that the rapid exhibition of the entire series of pictures in the order in which they were made or taken may result in the reproduction of the appearance of the moving object in every phase of its motion. An upper and a lower bank or series of rollers d (1,

respectively, may be arranged upon a suitable support'd and the film may be made to pass around or partially around each roller in the series, passing alternately from an upper to a lower roller, or vice versa, so as to take up the surplus material and provide compact means by which a very long continuous or endless strip may be employed. These banks or series of rollers are preferably adjustably supported upon the standard (1 in order to permit films of various lengths to be used, and for this purpose the frames of the rollers cZ-d may be provided wit-h projecting screw-threaded bolts which may pass through slots cl in said support or standard and be socured thereto by a thumb-nut d on the projecting threaded end of the bolt or otherwise, as shown in Fig. 12. From the last roller of the upper series or bank the film may pass around or over a roller or stud (1 preferably first passing under a takeup roller arranged between said roller (1 and the upper series or bank of rollers 01, said take-up roller being arranged on an arm (1, which has its inner end pivoted to the support, sothat its outer end may move freely in order to provide a yielding surface over which the film may pass and to provide means for taking up the slack in said film, though as an additional means for taking up the slack the arm (1 may be weighted or otherwise caused to exert a pressure upon the surface of the film. The film after leaving the roller d is caused to pass around a drum or spool E, then through a tension and guiding device E, and then around a drum or spool E as hereinafter more fully explained, and then over one or more rollers e to the lower series or bank of rollers d in the direction shown by thearrows.

The drums or spools E and E are preferably provided with peripheral teeth or proje'ctions adapted to engage perforationsin the film, so as to properly guide and hold it against slipping. These spools may have their shafts journaled in any suitablesupport or standard and may be geared together by a sprocket-chain or otherwise, so as to rotate in unison, being so timed that each spool will rotate the same number of times in the same space of time. The film is preferably gently pressed in its passage over the drum E by a roller 6 resting thereon, said roller being journaled in a bracket 2 which is adjustably mounted upon a standard a rising above the drum E. Below the drum E may also be placed a curved spring or yielding strip of metal a, which may be secured to the standard a so as to bear underneath the film and press it gently against the periphery of the drum. Owing to its rigidity or stiffness thev film D will be caused to move or be carried upwardly or outwardly a short distance away from the drum E and its point of contact with the spring e so as to provide constant slack in the film at this point, and then with a return-bend it may pass in a substantially straight line through the tension and guiding device E and thence to the drum E As a means for tensioning and frictionally holding the film so as to permit the series of pictures thereon to be brought successively into the illuminated fieldand retained for exposure therein for a predetermined time I preferably employa tension device E, having a stationary member f and the pivoted or hinged members f and f between which the film passes, as shown in Figs. 2 to 6, inclusive. The stationary-member f may be supported in any suitable manner, as upon the standardf and is provided with an opening f through which the successive pictures may be exposed, and with the upper and lower guidesf against which the edges of the film may abut, so as to be properly alined 1 while passing between the yielding and stationary members. Pins or stemsf may project from the stationary member fand pass through apertures in the yielding or movable members f and f each stem being provided with a nutf at its outer end, between which and its corresponding yielding member is placed a coiled or other suitable springf so that said movable members may be held with a yielding force in proper relation to the stationary member to clasp the film between the same, said yielding or movable members being each also preferably provided with an aperture through which pins f projecting from the stationary member, may pass in order to serve as a guide therefor when moved on their pivots. The member f may be pivoted or hinged, as at g, below the member-f and is preferably angular in form and forced with greater pressure against the film than the memberf' in order to preventfiexing or puckering at the point of exposure and to yieldingly hold the film and to exert a pressure sufficient to prevent the displacement thereof while the objects thereon are in position for reproduction. By employing two tension devices or a tension device having two members adapted to exert different pressures for yieldingly holding the film or picture-carrying surface one of said members will act promptly in case the other should not, and thus insure the stoppage of the film the instant it has been advanced the desired distance and the holding of the same stationary during the desired intervalof exposure. In the form shown the pivot of the member f is arranged above and at right angles to the pivot of the member f. To cushion and provide a smooth brushing-surface for the film between the members or any two or more of'the same of the tension device, a strip of leather or other suitable material g and a strip of softer material g as felt or plush, may be cemented or otherwise secured on the stationary member f, between the guides f and on opposite sides of the opening f while on either or both of the movable or yielding members (preferably the member f) may be secured felt, plush, or other suit able material, as at 9 adapted to contact with the film and exert ayielding pressure thereon, so as to keep the film free from dust and to prevent it from slipping. Upon the movable memberf and secured thereto or formed integrally therewith is a plate orshield 9 having an aperture therethrough corresponding with the aperture f of the stationary member, said shield being separated from the stationary memberf by a suitable space in order to protect the film and tension and guiding device from the heat of the illuminator and to provide aspace for the circulation of air, so as to keep the film cool, this result I being facilitated by the fanningaetion of said plate or shield under the action of the cam operating intermittently to release the tension on the film.

As the pictures on different films do not al: ways occupy the same position with reference to the perforations in the film, one or more adjustable plates, as g*, Fig. (5, may be provided for; varying the size of the openingf of the stationary member according to the position of the pictures or objects to be exposed relative to such perforations.

For the purpose of intermittently moving or feeding the film or picture-carrying surface in such manner as to cause the series of pie tures thereon to be brought into and permit- &

ted to remain in the illuminated field for an interval of time exceeding the time required to effect the displacement of any one picture and the substitution of another therefor and to automatically release the pressure exerted upon the film by the yielding member of the tension device I may employ a rotating disk, cam, or other rotating element l-I, Figs. 1, 2, and 8, having thereon, preferably, an eccentric stud or pin h, which may have a frictionroller h journaled thereon and adapted to impinge against the film and advance the same a predetermined distance at each revolution of said disk or cam. The disk may be 'journaled in a suitable standard or framepiece, as f, in such position that the stud or roller thereon may press downwardly upon the film at a point between the tension device E and drum E so as to cause the film to be moved or drawn downward the required distance at each revolution of said disk or cam. A cam-surface h on the disk or cam H is adapted to engage the end of a screw k arranged in a pendent arm M, which is secured to or formed integrally with the member f of the tension device, 'in order to release the pressure on the film by said member prior to and while the film is being drawn downward by the roller 71/. This roller" is preferably provided with a suitable covering and may have reduced ends, as shown in Fig. 8, so that it may engage the surface of the film between the perforations in order to prevent en- 'larging or otherwise distorting the perforations. This arrangement permits the film to be constantly moved by the drums E E while a portion thereof is intermittently fed for ward and positively held during the interval of exposure, so as to present the successive pictures in the field of illumination, while maintaining sufficient tension thereon to prevent the film from slipping or moving more than the required distance.

In connection with one or both of the feeddrums E and E", I may employ a pressure device, such as shown atI in Figs. 2 and 7. This pressure device may consist of a spring having a portion thereof adapted to press the film yieldingly against the smooth face or periphery of the drum, between the rows of teeth thereon, so as to hold the film in place. A guide K may also be provided for either or both of the feed-drums, said guide being preferably supported upon a suitable standard It and provided with depending arms or fingers is, adapted to embrace the edges of the film, so as to aline the same and prevent the projections on the drum from enlarging or otherwise injuring the perforations in the The feed-drums E and E should be geared together, so as to run at a regulated speed and should revolve in unison with each other, each making a complete revolution in the same instant of time, and the disk or cam H should be so actuated and timed with respect.

tothe rate of movement of the drums that the film may be advanced the same distance for every revolution. Though no mechanism is shown for this purpose it is obvious that gearing, belts, chains, or any'other suitable means may be employed and may be actuated by an electric or other suitable motor.

The operation of the invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the parts being in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. If the feeddrums are rotated at a proper speed, the film D will be moved in the direction indicated by the arrows; but the pressure exerted by the tension device E will hold the film stationary with the exposed picture in the field of illumination for a predetermined time and until the disk H has rotated far enough to cause its roller h to contact with the film for advancing the latter, so as to displace the exposed picture and bring another picture into the field of illumination, there being sufficient.

slack in the film at the bend thereof above said-tension device to permit a rapid movement of a given length sufficient to displace any one of the pictures in the series and permit another -to be brought into position for exposure or reproduction. When the object has been held in the field of illumination the proper interval of time, the cam-surface h of the cam or disk H will engage thesetscrew h and throw the member f of the tension device outwardly on its pivot, so as to relieve the pressure exerted thereby upon the film, the member f being adapted to exert a constant but yielding pressure on the film to prevent the latter from slipping or being fed farther than is required to present the successive pictures in proper position. When the pressure exerted on the film by the memberf is relieved, the roller h on the disk Hv will simultaneously engage the film and move it downward a sufficient distance to displace one object or picture and place the next succeedingobject in proper position for exposure. When the tension device and film are released by the cam 71 and roller h, respectively, on the disk H, the roller will revolve the remaining portion of a complete revolution before again moving the film, while the released tension device instantly regains its hold upon and holds that part of the film which is in the field of illumination stationary until the roller again contacts with the film. During this interval of time the slack in the film between the tension device and the drum E will be gradually taken up by the last-mentioned drum, but not at such a speed as to exert a tension sufficient to move the film during the interval of exposure of the picture, and in the same inst-ant of time,

' while the picture is being exhibited, the slack in the film between the tension device and the drum E, which has been taken up by advancing the film, will be compensated by an additional amount of slack paid out by the drum E, thus providing sufficient slack ahead IOC IIC

' of the tension device to permitthe nextsum ceeding picture to be brought quickly into 1 the I field. of illumination, and allowing sufficient slack in that portionof; the film'fwhich haspas'sed the tension device to,be, taken a v up by thesucceedingdrumduring the inaction of the film-advanci ngdevice. ThisOp 1eration will be repeated in regular sequence, the film beingcaused to-n ove'over the surface of the. drums-EandE continuously,

while that portionthereof which liesbetween the two drums is intermittently moved forward just farenough to expose apicture at each move, the. film-advancing mechanism being also continuously driven, but adapted to only intermittently advance the film, the

interval of illumination ofthe-picture being made to. exceed the interval of moveobject in different phases of its' motion the impression may be given to the eye of persons or objects in motion and with a vivid or lifelike appearance. a I thus provide means for. operating the film so that it may be moved the proper distance for exposing successive -pictures without liability to injury thereto,

andwhereby the knocking and jolting of the machinery incident to the necessarily rapid,

movement of the parts may be efiectually prevented.

.It is obvious that various devices may be employed for intermittently moving the film so as to successively place the pictures in the field ofillumination. In Fig. 9 the film passes between two suitable tension devices m m, then around a roller m and thence to the drum M, though other means for guiding said 'film may be used, if desired. Between the guides m m may be arranged'an arm or cross head m adapted to slide in a suitable support on, one end of said cross-head being pro vided with a roller or other engaging portion m and the other end thereof connected to suitable driving mechanism, as a crank and pitman m m respectively, so that when the cross-head is forced forward the roller will engage the film between the guides and force it outward, thereby causing the slack portion of the film above the guide or tension device m to move downward the desired distance to displace one picture and place another in its stead, the slack below the tension device m in the film being taken up by the drum M or in any other preferred manner. The roller for actuating the film, instead of having a sliding reciprocating movement, as in Fig. 9, may be arranged on the end of an oscillating arm or lever n, Fig. 10, pivoted, as at n, to a suitable support, so as to swing in the arc of a circle. In this case the levern may have a slotted portion in which a pin or stud m and force the film outward, asshown in dotted lines;

member 6 of the tension device 0 in this instance may'be in two parts, as shown, (or in one pi ece,.if 'preferred,) and has an upper yieldingfmember 0", which exerts a constant yielding pressure upon the film, and a lower pivoted or.- hinged and yielding member 0 adapted to exerta greater pressure uponthe film than the member 0, in substantially the Fig. 11 illustrates a modified form of tengsion and guiding device and means for inter mittently operating the film. The stationary projecting'from arotary' disk or crank 71 maywork, so as'to till saidlever on its pivot same manner asin the tension device E. .A lever 0 may be pivoted, as at 0 to a suitable support andhas onoue end thereof a rod or stem .0 provided with an adjusting-nut 0 and as ring 0 inter osed between said nut and a's'uitable stop or fixture 0 through which the rodo slides, so that the rod will be normally'forced inward, and on the opposite end of said lever maybe journaled a rollerp,

adapted toengage the'film and tending to normally force the same outward, as shown in dotted lines. The yielding member 0 of the tension device is provided with a depending arm or finger p, adapted to be engaged by the cam-surfacep ofthe disk or cam P at a predetermined time, so that when said member is thrown outward sufiiciently to relieve-the taking up the slack in the film and holding the lever 0 against the tension of the spring 0 until the pressureon the film by the member 0 of the tension device is relieved by the cam P. V In Fig. 13 the film is shown as a continuous strip or .band instead of an endless strip, as shown in Fig. 1. In this case the film may be unwound from a reel or spool. Q and after passing around the feed-drums E and E as heretofore explained, may be caused to pass around a rollerq and then to the reel or spool Q, the latter being operated in any suitable manner, as by frictional engagement devices, to take up the slack in the film as it is unwound from the drum E without causing unneceseary tension upon said film. The reel Q may, however, be placed in such position that the film may be wound directly thereon from the drum E It will be understood, of course, that the film may be fed to the tension device and taken up after leaving the same by other means than by the use of the feed-drums, that certain parts of the apparatus may be dispensed with or others substituted therefor, and that some parts of the operating mechanism and other parts of the apparatus may fsions at one and the sametime and to the per-j;

tion." I 7 5 From the foregoingdescription itf seen thatJth'e,jpictn'resyare brought H sively i'nto an"illu'mina'ted:field and-thateach j picture is "illuminatedmithout'interruptionout departing from the s from the inst-antitenterssuch fiel dfun' til .di's

continuously illuminated the eye" receives an owing to its inability to receive two impres sistence of vision, has? the effect'o'f rendering the movement of the film utterly i'mpercepti ble, while the successive im pressionsof di'f' ferent pictures' are each retained u'ntil'another picture in the series is" superimposed,

vas it were, upon the previous impression or picture, thus rendering it possible to 'produce most vivid and life-like effects without anyinterruption whatever in the illumination,

whether the film is movingorstati'onaryand without interposing ashutter, and thereby causinga shadow or shade effect which re- .duces the vividness of the impression; but I do not desire tobeconfined totheuseofjthe invention withoutashiitter,'inasmuch as sucha device mightbe used under-some circumstancesas, for instance, when constructed seas 'to interrupt the illumination only at that instan'tof time when the film is-moving and without rendering'the interruption percepti-t ble to the eye; but for all practical purposes a shutter of any kind is useless and objectionable and is preferably dispensed with.

Having thus fully described my invention, what Lclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ot' the United States, is'

1. In. a picture exhibiting apparatus for giving the impression to the eye of objects in motion, the combination with a pictu re-carrying strip or film, a tension device adapted to keep the film taut and prevent flexing or puckering at the point of exposure, means for intermittently moving the film through the tension device at short intervals exceeding the interval required in effecting the movement, so that the period during which each picture is stationary and visible shall exceed the period occupied in substituting one picture for another, and mechanism for feeding the film so as to provide slack therein betweenthe same and said tension device,whereby the film may be moved with great rapidity without unnecessary strain and wear upon the film, substan tially as described.

be mass: in other I ojn ne ates or t at otherpurposesthan'exhibiting"pictures wlhhi 4g pirit o ,"myfinven ames: f

2 n-wm lving. thegimp'ressio ermittentl noving with great: rapidity the film, substantiallyas described; Y I

" 3; {In a;'pictut eexhibiting apparatus for 7o n'sion device-adapted"; if n and 'fprevent'jflexing' poiint otekposure m'eans 1 1 .h ffil'mfth'rongh l shorti-ntervals e'xceedi'ngfthe, interval leqlll n" efie'cting them-o v'e-- s ment, so that-the inte valjoftpause and il'lu-li j min'ationshallfexceed the interval of, motion, and mechanism for feedi'ng the film so, as to provide slackthereini 'between thesame and said tensji'o n devic wherebythe film maybe intermittentlyKm .without' unnecessar strain andwear u'pon giving the impression' tothe eye of objects in I motion, the combinationwith/an illuminator anda projecting lens; of a picture-carryin g strip orfilm havin'gafportion thereof ar" ranged in the focus of the objective of the .projectinglensga tension'device adapted to 3 keep the exposed]portionofthe film taut and prevent flexing or puckerin'g at thepoint of I exposure,- m'eansgfor intermittently. moving the-film at short intervals exceeding the interval required in etfecting, the movement, so

th'atj the interval offpauseand illumination shall exceedtheinter'val of motion mechanism fox-taking. upxthe filmas it is intermit- I Itentlyfmoved,and mechanism for feedingthe film so as tolprovide slack therein between the same and said tensiondevice, whereby ICO that portion of the film between the feeding" and take-up [mechanisms may be intermit-" tently moved with great rapidity without un-- necessary strain and wear upon the film, sub- 7 stantiall'yas described.

adapted to. be continuously rotated so as to give a continuous movement to the "film, a

IIO

tension device interposed between the feeddrums adapted to hold and keep the film taut so as to provide slack on one side thereof, together with means for intermittently moving the film between the drums at short intervals exceeding the interval required in efiecting the movement, sothat the interval of pause and illumination shall exceed the interval of motion, substantially as described.

5. In a picture-exhibiting apparatus, the combination with a picture-carrying film and means for giving movement to the same, of a tension device provided with a yielding member adapted to hold and prevent movement of the film for a predetermined interval-of time, together with mechanism for'intermittently moving the film and simultaneously engaging a portion of the yielding member so as to release the pressure exerted thereby upon the film, whereby the pictures may be successively placed in position for ex- 'posurewith greatrapidity without u nnecesthe film, substan-' thesame so as to successively expose the picsary' strain and wearupon tially as described.

- 6. In a picture-exhibiting apparatus, the

combination with picture-carrying surface or film and means forintermittingly moving tures thereon, a tension d'evice for yieldingly holding the. "film, having two" parts .or members adapted toexert difier'ent pressures, so as to insureprompt action of oneor the other of said parts the; instant theofilm hasmoved the desired distance, substantially as .de-

' scribed.

, 7. In a picture-exhibiting apparatus, the

combination with an illuminator and a projecting lens, of apicture-carryingstrip or film havinga port-ionthereof arranged in the focus of the, objective of the projecting lens,

a tension device having two membersadapted to exert difierent pressures so as to keep said portion of the. film taut and prevent fiexing or puckering at the point of exposure, means forintermittently movingsaid portion so as toimpart a step-by-step movement theretoand successively place thepictures in position for exposure, mechanism for taking up the film asit is; intermittently ;moved, and mechanism forfeeding thefilm so as to provideslack. therein between the same and said tension device, whereby that portion of the film between the feeding and take-up mechanis ms may be intermittently moved with great rapidity without'nnnecessary strain and wear upon the film, su bstantially as described. 8. In a picture-exhibiting apparatus, the combination with a picture-carrying film, of

"a tension device therefor having two members adapted to exert different pressures so as to keep the film taut and prevent flexing or puckering at the point of exposure, mechanism for taking up the film. after leaving the tension device, means located intermediate .saidtension device and the take-up mechanism for intermittently moving the film,

. tension device provided with a yielding member adapted to hold and keep the film taut and prevent flexing or puckering at the point of exposure, a rotatable element adapted to I contact with a portion of the yielding memberso as to relieve the pressure exerted thereby upon the film, together with means for intermittently moving the film through the tension device, substantially as described.

'10. The combination with a film or strip, of a pair of feed-drums adapted to be continuously rotated so as to give a continuous movement to the film, a tension device interposed betweentthe feedgdrums and provided with cont-act with a. portion of the yielding member so as to release the pressure thereof on said film,-and having thereon a projecting portionadapted. to engage the film and intermittently move the same when the pressureof saidyielding member is released, substantially as described. j ll. In combination Withthe film and means for imparting movement thereto, the tension device comprising three members between which the film is'adapted to pass, one member being'stationary and the othersadapted to press the film against said stationary member with different pressures so that when the pressure of one of the yielding members is releasedthe other may exert a pressure sufficientto prevent slipping of the film without preventing its proper movement, whereby the film may be successively moved a uniform distance, substantially as described.

'12. Thecombination with a film orstrip, of a tension device comprising a stationary member, two spring-pressed yielding members adapted to press the film against said stationary member with different pressures,

guides for alining the film, and means whereadapted to press the film against said sta-- t-ionary member with different. pressures, guides for alining the film, means whereby one of the yielding members may be actuated so as to release thepressure thereof upon the film,'and a plate or shield carried by one of the yielding members and separated therefrom sufiiciently to provide space for the circulation of air, whereby the film may be protected from the heat of the illuminator' and the parts kept cool by the fanning action of said plate, substantially as described.

14. The combination with a film or strip and means forimparting movement thereto, of a support, banks or series of rollers separated from each other and adjustably held upon said support so that the film may pass alternately from a roller of one series to the next succeeding roller of the other series, together with an arm pivotally held to the support and provided with a roller adapted to engage the film and exert a tension thereon, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

- THOMAS ARMAT.

Witnesses:

J. A. E. CRISWELL, CHARLES E. RIoRDoN. 

